The present invention relates to a terminal structure of a braided wire in which a terminal of the braided wire is interposed between an inner circular body and an outer circular body and the outer circular body is caulked inwardly, and a terminal processing method for the braided wire.
The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-145792 filed on Jun. 30, 2011 and International Application PCT/JP2012/66699 filed on Jun. 29, 2012. The contents described and/or illustrated in the documents relevant to the Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-145792 and International Application PCT/JP2012/66699 will be incorporated herein by reference as a part of the description and/or drawings of the present application.
An art is known in which an end of a shield shell is covered with a braided tube, and an outer circumference of a portion which is overlaid with the shield shell in the braided tube is caulked with a ring member (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
In the above-mentioned art, since all of the shield shell, the braided tube and the ring member have simple cylindrical shape, when the ring member is caulked, the ring member have a surplus length. An outer circumference of the ring member partially protrudes due to the surplus length, so there is a problem in that it is impossible to sufficiently reduce a size of the terminal structure of the braided wire.
An object to be achieved by the invention is to provide a terminal structure of a braided wire which is capable of reducing a size and a terminal processing method of a braided wire which is capable of reducing the terminal structure of the braided wire.
[1] A terminal structure of a braided wire according to of the present invention is a terminal structure of a braided wire in which a terminal of the braided wire is interposed between an inner circular body and an outer circular body and the outer circular body is caulked inwardly, wherein the inner circular body has an endless annular shape and includes at least one first groove along an axial direction of the inner circular body, and the outer circular body is recessed along the first groove of the inner circular body.
[2] In the above invention, the inner circular body may include a second groove along a circumferential direction of the inner circular body, and the outer circular body may be recessed along the second groove of the inner circular body.
[3] In the above invention, the inner circular body may have a protruded portion disposed between a plurality of the first grooves.
[4] A terminal processing method for a braided wire according to the present invention is a terminal processing method for a braided wire comprising: (a) interposing a terminal of the braided wire between an inner circular body and an outer circular body; and (b) caulking the outer circular body inwardly, wherein the inner circular body includes at least one first groove along an axial direction of the inner circular body, and the (b) includes recessing the outer circular body along the first groove of the inner circular body.
[5] In the above invention, the inner circular body may include a second groove along a circumferential direction of the inner circular body, and the (b) may include recessing the outer circular body along the second groove of the inner circular body.
[6] In the above invention, the inner circular body may have a protruded portion disposed between a plurality of the first grooves, and the (b) may include causing the protruded portion to bring into contact with the braided wire.
According to the invention, the outer circular body is recessed along the first groove of the inner circular body so that a size of the terminal structure of the braided wire may be reduced.
a) is a front view of a connector in an embodiment of the invention,
a) is a front view of an inner ferrule in an embodiment of the invention,
a) to 6(g) are diagrams illustrating the sequence of assembly of a connector in an embodiment of the invention;
a) is a cross-sectional view illustrating a terminal structure of a braided wire before being caulked in an embodiment of the invention and
a) is a plan view illustrating a terminal structure of a braided wire in another embodiment of the invention and
Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
a) to 1(c) are diagrams illustrating a connector in this embodiment,
A connector 10 in this embodiment is a connector of electric power cables which transfer large-volume electric power between an electric motor and an inverter in a vehicle including the electric motor as a driving source, such as a electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).
Specifically, the connector 10 is a female connector which is attached to an end of an AC electric power cable 40 that is electrically connected to the inverter. Note that the AC electric power cable 40 in this embodiment comprises three electric wires 41 for three-phase AC power (U, V, and W phases) and a braided wire 42 enclosing the three electric wires 41.
Note that the above-described connector 10 may be configured as a male connector instead of the female connector or may be used as a connector of an electric power cable that connects the inverter and a battery.
Hereinafter, a direction for fitting the connector will be referred to as a “fitting direction” and a direction for separating the connector will be referred to as a “releasing direction”.
As illustrated in
The terminals 20 are female terminals that are made from copper or a copper alloy and, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
This electric wire 41 is respectively inserted into a circular wire seal 23. Further, a strain reef 24 is attached to the electric wire 41 near the wire seal 23, and the detachment of the wire seal 23 is prevented. Note that, for example, the wire seal 23 is made from silicone rubber. Further, the strain reef 24, for example, is made from polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).
The housing 30, as illustrated in
In the housing portion 31, three housing holes 311 each housing the terminals 20 are formed to be substantially parallel to each other. Each housing hole 311 is open on the releasing-direction side, and the terminal 20 is inserted into the inside of the housing hole 311 from the housing portion 21 side through an opening portion. The wire seal 23 is pressed into the housing hole 311 together with the terminal 20, and the wire seal 23 seals between the terminal 20 and the housing 30.
As illustrated in
This housing portion 31 protrudes to the inside of the cylinder portion 32, and a fitting groove 321 is formed between the housing portion 31 and the cylinder portion 32. A housing (not illustrated) of the male connector is inserted into the fitting groove 321 and the housing portion 31 is inserted into the housing of the male connector so that the female connector 10 and the male connector are fitted together.
Further, in the fitting groove 321, a circular housing seal 313 is installed to the outer circumference of the housing portion 31. This housing seal 313, for example, is made from silicone rubber and seals a portion between the housing portion 31 and the housing of the male connector at the time of fitting.
The cylinder portion 32, as illustrated in
The outer wall portion 33, as illustrated in
Further, the terminal of the braided wire 42 to which two ferrules 25 and 26 are crimped is inserted in this insertion space 331, and the shield plate 332 and the braided wire 42 are electrically connected to each other through the ferrule 25. Then, in the state in which the braided wire 42, the ferrules 25 and 26, and the shield plate 332 are inserted into the insertion space 331, the outer wall portion 33 is covered with a rear cover 38 that is configured by an upper cover 381 and a lower cover 382.
As illustrated in
In this embodiment, as illustrated in
Note that the number or a formation position of first grooves 264 is not specifically limited. For example, one to three first grooves 264 may be formed in the inner ferrule 26, or five or more first grooves 264 may be formed.
Incidentally, although the outer ferrule 25 is caulked in a state in which the terminal of the braided wire 42 is interposed between the ferrules 25 and 26, the groove 264 is not formed in the outer ferrule 25 before being caulked (see
A second concave-shaped groove 265 which is along a circumferential direction of the inner ferrule 26 is formed on the entire outer circumference surface 261 of the inner ferrule 26 in this embodiment. In the meantime, in accordance with the caulking, the outer ferrule 25 is recessed so as to follow the second groove 265 of the inter ferrule 26.
Note that a plurality of second grooves 265 may be formed in the inner ferrule 26 and the number of the second grooves 265 is not specifically limited.
Further, convex-shaped protruded portions 266 are respectively formed on the top surface 262 and the bottom surface 263 of the inner ferrule 26. Both protruded portions 266 are disposed between the two first grooves 264 and in the second groove 265. As illustrated in
Returning to
Hereinafter, the sequence of assembly of the connector 10 will be described with reference to
a) to 6(g) are diagrams illustrating the sequence of assembly of the connector in this embodiment, and
First, as illustrated in
In the meantime, as illustrated in
Specifically, first, as illustrated in
Next, in a state in which a core 63 is inserted into the inner ferrule 26, upper and lower molds 61 and 62 approach to each other to press the outer ferrule 25. Accordingly, the outer ferrule 25 is caulked (pressingly engaged) inwardly so that the braided wire 42 and two ferrules 25 and 26 are crimped.
By the pressing of the molds 61 and 62, as illustrated in
At this time, the first groove 264 is formed along the axial direction of the inner ferrule 26 so that a surplus length of the outer ferrule 25 caused by caulking is absorbed by the recess 252. Therefore, a protruded portion is not formed on the outer circumference of the outer ferrule 25 so that the size of the terminal structure of the braided wire may be reduced.
Further, if the protruded portion is formed on the outer circumference of the outer ferrule 25, the braided wire is caught by the protruded portion during the operation to be damaged so that the shield performance may be lowered.
In contrast, in this embodiment, the protruded portion is not formed on the outer circumference of the outer ferrule 25 so that the braided wire is not damaged by the catching.
Further, in this embodiment, by the pressing of the molds 61 and 62, as illustrated in
At this time, the second groove 265 is formed along the circumferential direction of the inner ferrule 26 so that a tensile strength of a crimping portion of the inner ferrule 26, the braided wire 42, and the outer ferrule 25 is improved.
If the outer ferrule 25 is transformed along the first groove 264, a portion in the outer ferrule 25 which is opposite to a space between the first grooves 264 expands to be a drum shape, and the inner ferrule 26, the braided wire 42 and the outer ferrule 25 are not in contact with each other at this portion.
In contrast, in this embodiment, even if the outer ferrule 25 expands to have a drum shape, the inner ferrule 26, the braided wire 42 and the outer ferrule 25 are in contact with each other by the protruded portion 266 and a contact resistance between the inner ferrule 26, the braided wire 42 and the outer ferrule 25 is lowered so that the shield performance may be improved.
Further, a contacting area of the inner ferrule 26, the braided wire 42 and the outer ferrule 25 is increased by the protruded portion 266, and thus the tensile strength of the crimping portion of the inner ferrule 26, the braided wire 42 and the outer ferrule 25 is also improved.
Next, as illustrated in
Meanwhile, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
Next, although not specifically illustrated, by installing the rear cover 38 to the housing 30 so as to cover the outer wall portion 33 of the housing 30 and the braided wire 42, the connector 10 is completed.
The inner ferrule 26 in this embodiment corresponds to an example of the inner circular body in the invention, and the outer ferrule 25 in this embodiment corresponds to an example of the outer circular body in the invention.
The embodiments described above have been described for easy understanding of the present invention and not for purposes of limitation of the present invention. Thus, each element disclosed in the above-described embodiments is with intent to include all changes in the design and equivalents thereof belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.
a) and 8(b) are a plan view and a cross-section view illustrating the terminal structure of the braided wire according to another embodiment of the invention, respectively.
For example, as illustrated in
Also in this case, a concave-shaped groove 71 is formed in the pipe 70 along the axial direction so that the surplus length of the outer ferrule 25 caused by caulking is absorbed by the recess. As a result, the size of the terminal structure of the braided wire may be reduced and the braided wire may be prevented from being broken.
Further, although not specifically illustrated, by further forming the concave-shaped groove in the pipe 70 along the circumferential direction, the tensile strength of the crimping portion may be improved.
In this case, the pipe 70 corresponds to an example of the inner circular body in the invention, and the outer ferrule 25 corresponds to an example of the outer circular body in the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-145792 | Jun 2011 | JP | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2012/066699 | Jun 2012 | US |
Child | 14141826 | US |